Charge order breaks magnetic symmetry in molecular quantum spin chains

Abstract

Charge order affects most of the electronic properties but is believed not to alter the spin arrangement since the magnetic susceptibility remains unchanged. We present electron-spin-resonance experiments on quasi-one-dimensional (TMTTF)2X salts (X= PF6, AsF6, and SbF6), which reveal that the magnetic properties are modified below TCO when electronic ferroelectricity sets in. The coupling of anions and organic molecules rotates the g-tensor out of the molecular plane creating magnetically nonequivalent sites on neighboring chains at domain walls. Due to anisotropic Zeeman interaction a novel magnetic interaction mechanism in the charge-ordered state is observed as a doubling of the rotational periodicity of ΔH. © 2012 M. Dressel et al.